Identify fraudulent use of payment methods based on a portion of their private unique codes

Abstract

A method of detecting potential fraudulent use of identification (ID) items, comprising receiving a partial code of a unique code of each of a plurality of ID items used in a plurality of identification events each associated with timing data, identifying pairs of first and corresponding identification events in which the ID items used have an identical partial code, estimating whether the ID item used in the first identification event of each pair and the ID item used in the corresponding second identification event of the respective pair are different ID items or the same ID item based on whether a time period between the first and second identification events exceeds or not, respectively, a certain time interval, and generating notification(s) indicative of a potential fraudulent use of the same ID item responsive to estimating the same ID item is used in the first and second identification events.

1 . A method for improving a functioning and increasing immunity against cyberattacks of a system for detecting potential fraudulent use of identification (ID) items, comprising:
 using at least one processor of a fraud detection system for detection of potential fraudulent use of identification (ID) items which are members of a group consisting of payments cards, user ID tags, keys and fobs, said fraud detection system is connected through a communication network to at least one remote system which manages and/or controls identification and/or authentication of users using ID items in identification events, for:
 receiving, over said communication network, from said at least one remote system, only a partial code associated with each of a plurality of ID items used for identification in said plurality of identification events, where each identification event is associated with timing data, wherein each ID item is associated with a different unique code and wherein the partial code is a segment of the unique code, said segment is the only segment of the unique code that is publicly exposed by said ID items during said plurality of identification events, wherein a rest of said unique code is not publicly exposed by said ID items during said plurality of identification events, and wherein said unique code is not being accessed or stored by said at least one processor, thereby improving the functioning and increasing the immunity of said fraud detection system by preventing cyberattack attempts on said fraud detection system for gaining access to said unique code; 
 identifying at least one first identification event and at least one second identification event of the plurality of identification events, when an ID item used for identification in said at least one first identification event and an ID item used for identification in said at least one second identification event, have an identical partial code; 
 estimating that the ID item used in the at least one first identification event and the ID item used in the at least one second identification event are different ID items when a time period between the first identification event and the second identification event exceeds a predefined time interval; 
 estimating that the ID item used in the at least one first identification event is the same ID item used in the at least one second identification event when the time period does not exceed the predefined time interval; 
 generating, responsive to estimating that the same ID item is used in the at least one first and in the at least one second identification events, at least one notification indicative of a potential fraudulent use of the same ID item; and 
 transmitting said at least one notification, over said communication network, to said at least one remote system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprise a plurality of payment cards used in a plurality of financial transactions, the unique code associated with each of the plurality of payment cards comprises a primary account number (PAN) code comprising a string of digits, and the partial code of each of the plurality of payment cards comprises part of the string of digits of the PAN of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the partial code of at least some of the plurality of payment cards further comprises a bank identification number (BIN) and/or an issuer identification number (IIN) of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the partial code of each of the plurality of payment cards further comprises an expiration date of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprises a plurality of user ID tags associated with a plurality of users used in a plurality of user identification events. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprises a plurality of account IDs associated with a plurality of users and used in a plurality of user identification events. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined time interval is predefined based on a statistical analysis of a frequency of a plurality of identification events conducted using at least some of the plurality of ID items. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the predefined time interval is adjusted according to an estimation error tolerance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ID items are issued by a plurality of issuers, the predefined time interval is predefined respectively for each of the plurality of issuers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined time interval is predefined according to at least one attribute of the plurality of identification events. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising estimating whether the ID item used in the at least one first identification event is the same ID item used in the at least one second identification event or a different ID item based on at least one additional ID item associated with the ID item. 
     
     
         12 . A system for detecting potential fraudulent use of identification (ID) items, with increased immunity against cyberattacks, comprising:
 a network interface connected to a communication network and that connects said system, through said communication network, to at least one remote system which manages and/or controls identification and/or authentication of users using identification ID items in identification events, said ID items are members of a group consisting of payments cards, user ID tags, keys and fobs;   at least one processor configured to execute a code, the code comprising:
 code instructions to receive, over said communication network, from said at least one remote system, only a partial code associated with each of a plurality of ID items used for identification in said plurality of identification events, where each identification event is associated with timing data, wherein each ID item is associated with a different unique code and wherein the partial code is a segment of the unique code, said segment is the only segment of the unique code that is publicly exposed by said ID items during said plurality of identification events wherein a rest of said unique code is not publicly exposed by said ID items during said plurality of identification events, and wherein said unique code is not being accessed or stored by said at least one processor, thereby improving the functioning and increasing the immunity of said fraud detection system by preventing cyberattack attempts on said system for gaining access to said unique code; 
 code instructions to identify at least one first identification event and at least one second identification event of the plurality of identification events, when an ID item used for identification in said at least one first identification event and an ID item used for identification in said at least one second identification event, have an identical partial code; 
 code instructions to estimate that the ID item used in the at least one first identification event and the ID item used in the at least one second identification event are different ID items when a time period between the first identification event and the second identification event exceeds a predefined time interval; 
 code instructions to estimate that the ID item used in the at least one first identification event is the same ID item used in the at least one second identification event when the time period does not exceed the predefined time interval; 
 code instructions to generate, responsive to estimating that the same ID item is used in the at least one first and in the at least one second identification events, at least one notification indicative of a potential fraudulent use of the same ID item; and 
 code instructions to transmit said at least one notification, over said communication network, to said at least one remote system. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprise a plurality of payment cards used in a plurality of financial transactions, the unique code associated with each of the plurality of payment cards comprises a primary account number (PAN) code comprising a string of digits, and the partial code of each of the plurality of payment cards comprises part of the string of digits of the PAN of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the partial code of at least some of the plurality of payment cards further comprises a bank identification number (BIN) and/or an issuer identification number (IIN) of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the partial code of each of the plurality of payment cards further comprises an expiration date of the respective payment card. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprise a plurality of user ID tags used in a plurality of user identification events. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ID items comprises a plurality of account IDs associated with a plurality of users and used in a plurality of user identification events. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined time interval is predefined based on a statistical analysis of a frequency of plurality of identification events conducted using at least some of the plurality of ID items. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the predefined time interval is adjusted according to a predefined estimation error tolerance. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising estimating whether the ID item used in the at least one first identification event is the same ID item used in the at least one second identification event or a different ID item based on at least one additional ID item associated with the ID item.